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Coffee and tea remains a key foodservice industry growth driver, buoyed by aggressive menu innovation and a strong foothold in the breakfast daypart, according to Coffee and Tea Foodservice Trends in the U.S., a just-released study from market research firm Packaged Facts.

Sales of coffee and tea at restaurant and drinking places are projected to reach $18.7 billion in 2012. Sales spiked 11% in 2011, driven by the return of consumers to the restaurant industry, aggressive coffee and tea menu innovation, increased penetration of coffee and tea among restaurant units, and menu price increases.

Some 173.5 million consumers drink tea and 183 million consumers drink coffee, according to David Sprinkle, publisher of Packaged Facts, eye-popping numbers that also imply limited usage growth potential. The challenge for foodservice operators, therefore, involves expanding varieties and occasions for use while converting home and office coffee and tea users into foodservice users.